Coconut Creek Little League All-Stars state their case for success with sectional title

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BIG BLAST Coconut Creek Little League Baseball All-Star batter Anthony Giglio connects for a grand slam to end the game in the fourth inning of a victory over host Plantation in the sectional tournament. Coconut Creek opens play at states against Bayshore Tampa in St. Cloud on Friday. photo by emmett hall/correspondent

BIG BLAST Coconut Creek Little League Baseball All-Star batter Anthony Giglio connects for a grand slam to end the game in the fourth inning of a victory over host Plantation in the sectional tournament. Coconut Creek opens play at states against Bayshore Tampa in St. Cloud on Friday. photo by emmett hall/correspondent

It wasn't their preferred route, but the Coconut Creek Little League Baseball All-Stars will take it all the way to St. Cloud.

The boys from Sabal Pines Park got off to a great start in the Southeast Florida Section 8 Tournament with a 13-2 victory over host Plantation, but dropped a hard-fought 5-3 decision in their match-up against Liberty City Optimist (Miami) to finish 1-1 along with the other two squads.

Nevertheless, the District 10/Broward County champions are headed to the Florida State Tournament just south of Orlando July 21-23 after being awarded the sectional title on a run-differential formula.

Coconut Creek, which has won four of its five All-Star games, goes up against Bayshore Tampa in its opening game at states. First pitch on Friday (July 21) is at 5:30 p.m.

Anthony Giglio played a major role in the slugfest win over Plantation with two home runs — including a grand slam to center field — resulting in seven RBI.

Along with his bases-clearing blast that ended the "mercy rule" contest in the fourth inning of Coconut Creek's first game at Plantation Central Park, Giglio also unleashed a three-run moon shot during a seven-run first inning.

The 11- and 12-year-old sluggers also received a rocket launcher from Brayden Slade in the loss to Liberty City Optimist.

Slade's dinger with Vinny Mercado on second base temporarily put the Creeksters ahead 2-1 before before Liberty City struck for three runs in its half of the inning to make it 4-2. The Miami squad went on for the 5-3 verdict.

"He threw me a fast ball and I was able to get all of it," said Slade, who also singled in the fifth inning to account for two of Coconut Creek's three hits.

Along with Giglio's pair of round-trippers against Plantation, extra-base wacks were also pounded out by Vinny Mercado and Nick Benigno as each came through with a double.

Colin Aube settled down after a rough start against Plantation and pitched a solid game for the win. After giving up two runs on three hits in the first inning, Aube allowed only one hit and did not surrender a run the rest of the way. He struck out four and walked only one.

And while he and the boys from District 10 are thrilled that their dream of Williamsport, Pa. and the Little League World Series is still alive, Coconut Creek manager Ed Mercado knows there is work to be done before Friday's state opener.

"That's why it's a tournament and not one game, but having said that we're going to learn from this [loss] and practice hard for states," Mercado said.

Mercado commended the pitching of Liberty City's Alejandro Perez, who struck out 10 Coconut Creek batters and scattered four hits.

"The young man from Liberty City really shut us down, and our kids have been good hitters all season so I know they are not happy about today," Mercado continued. "We'll make sure they're on time [with their swings], load early and don't get cheated at the plate."

The District 10/Broward County representatives join West Boynton Beach from District 7/Palm Beach County at states. It marks the first time two Major Division (Williamsport level) teams from southeast Florida have been among the final eight since 2012.